Book review: Whistle Blowing and Ethics in Health and Social Care

Posted 18 August 2016 - 12:39

Claire Lanfear reviews a book examining the ethics of whistle blowing.

4 stars

Whistle blowing and ethics is a pertinent topic for all health professionals. This book effectively examines whistle blowing and ethics from the policy and regulatory framework aspect which underpins health and social care in the UK.

The author thoughtfully uses high profile examples of whistle blowing to discuss organisational/leadership practice and the impact this has on individuals working within the organisation.

The author identifies how an ethic of care may impact on an individual practitioner and the organisation. A particularly useful section of the text was the discussion of ethical leadership.

Although the author acknowledges this is not a “how to” book, excellent and honest attention is paid to the professional and personal reality of whistle blowing. In addition, there is a very useful practical section at the end with some excellent considerations if a practitioner was contemplating raising concerns.

In view of the recent high profile cases of whistle blowing in the UK, this book is valuable for both novice and experienced practitioners to enable them to understand how organisations and their culture function support (or not) healthcare professionals in regard to speaking out about poor quality care. This text would be a valuable addition to any healthcare library.